Bottom loading emergency valve



April 17, 1962 J. H. DE FREES 3,029,833

BOTTOM LOADING EMERGENCY VALVE Filed Dec. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR.

JOSEPH h. DFS

A ril 17, 1962 J. H. DE FREES 3,029,833

BOTTOM LOADING EMERGENCY VALVE Filed. Dec. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. JOSEPH H- DE FEEES BY @1, W1 6% 404.

ATTORNEYS April 17, 1962 J. H. DE FREES 3,029,833

BOTTOM LOADING EMERGENCY VALVE Filed Dec. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet sINVENTOR. JOSEPH H. DE FEEES ATTORNEYS April 17, 1962 Filed Dec. 29,1958 J. H. DE FREES BOTTOM LOADING EMERGENCY VALVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVEN TOR. JOSEPH H. DEFEEES BY @641, M1,, 50/043 Mm A TOENIE'YS3,02,833 BOTTOM LOADING EMERGENCY VALVE Joseph H. De Frees, 414 LibertySt., Warren, Pa. Filed Dec. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 783,461 6 Claims. (Cl.137-414) The invention relates to novel and improved liquid inlet anddischarge control means particularly adapted for use in connection withcontainers for the storage or transportation of liquids of any kind, andparticularly explosive or inflammable liquids such as gasoline or thelike. The invention is more specifically applicable to the bottomloading of containers of the nature indicated.

In the loading of tanks containing gasoline, for example, the dischargeof the liquid into the usual top manhole gives rise to splashing andturbulence, with consequent hazard from the development of explosivemixtures of air and hydrocarbon vapor. Much of this hazard is avoided bypumping the liquid, or otherwise causing it to flow, into the containerthrough an opening in the bottom thereof. Several advantages of thebottom loading method are immediately apparent. The Operator can remainat ground level; the loading station can be more simply equipped, andseveral compartments may conveniently be loaded at one time.

Liquid storage or transportation tanks generally have a bottom dischargeor outlet opening and a valve control therefor. If the outletconnections are damaged by accident or otherwise, discharge of thecontents might result in a disastrous the with possible serious injuryto the attendant, truck-driver, or others in the vicinity. Socalledemergency valve structures havetherefore been devised to prevent anydischarge of the liquid except when the operator is in conscious controlof the discharge operation. Such emergency valve is usually in arelatively inaccessible position, for example, immediately within thetank bottom, so as not to be susceptible to normal injury from collisionor the like. In liquid flow communication with the emergency valve is aconventional operator-controlled valve, and both this valve and theemergency valve, being in series, must be opened to permit liquiddischarge from the container.

It is of course feasible, in the case of a multi-cham bered tank, tocarry the discharge passages from all the emergency valves to a commonmanifold at which point flow from each compartment may be controlled ata single operators control box.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a main control valveat the lowest point of the container, which valve incorporates, in noveland improved mannet, the functions of a loading and unloading valvewhile retaining the emergency safety features heretofore found only inthe unloading valves'of the prior art.

It is a further object of the invention to provide emergency dischargevalve means, which can likewise be utilized as a loading or inlet valve,and which can be used in multiple for the loading or unloading of arespective plurality of tank compartments simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is the provision of valve means of thenature defined in the last two preceding paragraphs, in combination withnovel and improved float control means for automatically terminating theloading operation at a predetermined level in any or all of thecontainers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a load.- ing valve andfloat control means therefor wherein said float control means comprisesprimary and secondary 3,029,833 Patented Apr. 17, 1962 2 loading ducts,each with its own automatic float control, the secondary loading ductbeing adapted to permit entry of liquid at a lower rate than the primaryduct, and to be automatically shut or? subsequent to the closure oi theprimary duct to provide for a more accurate meas: urement of thecontents.

A further object of the invention is to provide bottom loading means ofthe type' defined hereinabove, and adapted to achieve loading of one ormore compartments at a relatively rapid rate, but without hazardousagitation of explosive or flammable liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improvedbottom loading valve means comprising a main loading or unloading valveof the emergency type, in combination with a primary and a secondaryvalve for loading purposes only, said primary and secondary valve eachbeing controlled by its own respective float, and said primary valvebeing adapted to automatically control the time of closing of said mainvalve during loading of the container.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a study of thefollowing specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which: i

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing, in outline, of a valve system controllingliquid loading and unloading of main-compartment tank, wherein both theloading and unloading of each compartment takes place through a singlemain valve of the emergency shut-oil? type.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 22ofFIG. l.

PEG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a valve assembly, taken onthe line 3-3 of FIG. 2, i

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing certain parts in adifferent operating position.

FIG. '5 is a detail vertical sectional view of a float control for avalve. 7/

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a 801116 What modifiedembodiment of one operating element of the invention. T

It will be convenient for a general understanding of the operatingsystem to first refer to FIG. 1 which shows schematically the moreimportant operating elements. In this drawing reference character 20indicates a conventional trailer tank having rolled end heads 21 and 22,and concave bulkheads 23 and 24 which divide the tank into threecompartments A, B and C.

At the lowest point in each compartment is a combined inlet anddischarge valve 25, the discharge feature there of being of theemergency controlled type. All threesuch valves are similarlyconstructed and operated. Inlet-outlet piping 26 connects each valve 25with a manifold 27,

there being a simple manually controlled valve adjacent the point ofcommunication of each pipe 26 with manifold 27. These valves are notshown, being conventional abut the valve plunger 37a, and'admit air frompipe 39.-

The significance of this arrangement will appear later.

This pipe 39 may be connected with a source of compressed air such asthe air tank for the brakes.

A second air system, which is completely self-contained comprises thehand pump 42 connected by pipe 43 to air distribution manifold 44.Individual valve control wheels 45 admit air to pipes 46 which run toeach emergency valve 25 so as to open the valve and permit dischargetherethrough at the operators choice. As will appear, these emergencyvalves 25 can be opened only by purposeful admission of air thereto, andseveral remote controls are provided to vent the air chamber 42 toatmosphere under such conditions that the valves should not be opened.For example, when the tank trailer is in transit, closure of door 47 inthe operators control box operates the plunger of valve 48 and ventspipes 49 and 50, said pipes being in continuous air-flow communicationwith air storage cylinder 46. The same effects can be achieved at aremote control point occupied by a frangible plug or valve 53 which ispreferably located near the drivers cab. If the driver becomes aware ofa dangerous condition he breaks plug 53 which immediately vents storagecylinder 42 and manifold 44. A similar emergency air control system ismore fully shown and described in my prior US. Patent No. 2,600,977,granted June 17, 1952.

In each of the compartments, A, B, and C, I have provided a primaryfloat 54 and a secondary float 55. As will appear, the primary floatcontrols a valve which permits rapid loading of the compartment throughenlarged inlet ports in the emergency valve assembly 25. As the liquidlevel nears the desired high point the primary valve causes closure ofthe enlarged orifices, but loading continues at a greatly reduced ratethrough much smaller openings, also in the emergency valve assembly 25.Accurate approach to the desired level is thereby assured, and thesecondary valve ports are closed by secondary float 55 when said desiredlevel is reached. The primary and secondary floats are in communicationwith their respective valves in the emergency valve housing throughrespective pipes 56 and 57. The floats are suspended near thecompartment top in any suitable manner. In FIG. a float bracket 58 isshown attached to the annular wall 59 of the tank manhole by bolts 60.

Refer now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 for a more detailed description of theloading and unloading main valve which, as will appear, incorporatestherein the primary and secondary float valves.

The tank bottom 63 has a drain pocket 64 in each compartment. In saiddrain pocket is a central aperture to permit an emergency valve to beseated therein. The emergency valve body 25 has an outturned connectingflange 25a for securement of the body in the drain pocket. The body 25also has an inturned annular shoulder 25b to serve as a valve seat forvalve disc 65 of the main valve which is a piston-type valve movablevertically in body 25. A lower portion 65 of the valve extends outwardlybelow the tank bottom and has an upper connecting flange 65a. Registeredapertures in the drain pocket 64, and in flanges 25a and 65a, receivesbolts 66 which seat in captive nuts 67 within the drain pocket and holdthe complete assembly together.

Valve head 65 has a downward extension serving as an operating means,said means consisting of push rods 68 which are welded to the valve headat their upper end and their lower end to a disc 69. The disc 69 andvalve piston 66 can be raised to unseat the facing ring 65 from its seat25b by admitting air through pipe 46 into a pressure chamber 70 betweena flexible diaphragm 71 and a rigid pressure cup 72 which is attached toflange 65a of the lower valve portion 65 by bolts 73. The air pressurehas its source in the pressure pump 42 heretofore mentioned, and it isrouted to the desired main valve by a selected control valve 45 inmanifold 44. The air pressure is developed by a few manual strokes of anair pump in association with cylinder 42 whenever the operator is readyto discharge one of the compartments. Door 47 must of course be open, orcylinder 42 is vented through interference valve 48.

When the main valve is unseated as just described, the liquid contentsdischarge through openings 76, then between facing disc 65 and seat 25b,into discharge chamber 77 in the lower housing 65, and out throughfitting 78 and pipe 26 to liquid manifold 27 (FIG. 1).

Attached to the upper end of housing 25 is a head portion 79 which canmost conveniently be connected by a screw thread arrangement 80. Aspring 81 is compressed between a shoulder on the head portion and anannular depression in the top of the main valve 66. This arrangementbiases the main valve to closed position, and since the valve seat iscompletely within the tank compartrnent any physical impact or collisionalong the tank bottom only injures the valve-opening elements andaccidental discharge of flammable contents is prevented.

The loading control will now be described, with reference particularlyto FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. The main valve 66 has an aperture therethrough,centrally, the valve body being vertically slidable along a tube 84fixed to end head 79. This tube permits passage of liquid upwardlythrough the main valve when and as permitted by primary and secondaryvalving devices controlled by the primary and secondary floats 54 and 55heretofore mentioned in connection with the description of FIG. 1, andnow to be more particularly described.

End head 79 is provided with a bonnet 35 attached to the end head bybolts 86. A flexible diaphragm 87 has its peripheral edge grippedbetween the head and the bonnet. The bonnet is centrally bored, thepassage extending through an inwardly extending boss 88. Surrounding theboss is a spring 39 which has its lower end abutting a seat or plate 99to normally maintain the diaphragm against an annular shoulder 91 at thetop of the central bore 92 above sleeve 84.

Further structural details will be characterized during a description ofone loading cycle.

Referring first to FIG. 1, and assuming that the operator desires tofill compartment A, he opens both doors 38 and 47. The opening of door38 frees plunger 37a of valve 37, and permits air to flow through pipe36 to top vents 34 as heretofore described, opening the vents. Theoperator now connects a pipe from his supply source (not shown) toliquid manifold 27 and opens the valve or valves from the manifold tothe appropriate pipe 26 to compartment A.

Liquid under sufficient pump pressure to overcome any expectedhydrostatic gravity head now flows through pipe 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Asshown by the arrows the pressure raises valve 66 from its seat 25b, andthe liquid can enter the compartment through the following channels.

(1) Channel 1 carries the greatest volume of liquid and enters thecompartment through the free space past the main valve, laterallythrough openings 76 in valve housing 25 and upwardly through the drainpocket 64.

(2) Channel 2 includes the passage upwardly through tube 84, raisingdiaphragm 87 by compressing spring 89, and outwardly through a pluralityof lateral ducts 95 after passing seat 91.

(3) Channel 3 includes scoop duct 96 into a peripheral chamber 97, andthence upwardly through duct 98 (FIG. 4) and tube 56 to the primaryfloat valve outlet to be later described.

(4) Channel 4 includes scoop duct 99 (FIG. 3) into the upper chamber 100above diaphragm 37, through boss 88, and through tube 57 to thesecondary float valve outlet.

All four channels are open in the main valve position shown in FIG. 4.

When the liquid level approaches compartment-filled position the primaryfloat valve (to be later more fully described), closes the outlet fromtube 56 exerting a back pressure through tube 56 and duct 98 onto thetop of main piston valve 66, producing an increasing tendency to closethe main valve. Several factors contribute to this tendency, for examplethe effective area on the top of piston valve 66 against which thepressure is effective, and the compressive force of spring 81. Mainvalve 66 thereupon returns to its seat, shutting off channel 1. Channel3 had already been shut off by the primary float valve.

Loading continues through channels 2 and 4 but at a greatly reducedrate. When the level rises to the point where secondary float 55 closesits escape outlet a back pressure develops in chamber 100 which, incooperation with the pressure of compressed spring 89, closes thediaphragm valve against shoulder 91 cutting off channel 2. Channel 4 hasbeen closed by float 55.

All loading channels are now closed. An indicator flow device announcesthis fact to the operator and he can close the appropriate manual valveat the manifold, and also make such other disconnections as are obvious.

Refer now to FIG. 5 for a specific description of a float valve control.It can be either the primary or secondary valve control since they areidentical. The side wall 59 of the manhole collar supports a bracket 58which has a pair of vertically spaced lugs 53a and 58b which are boredto slidably receive the hollow shaft 103 to which the floating elementM4 is attached. It-is shown in full line position as idle orunsupported, and in broken line position as floating in valve closingposition.

Tube 56, the lower end of which is shown in FIG. 4, connects with a cup105 which is clamped to lug 58b in leak-proof arrangement. In idleposition a foot M6 on the hollow shaft 103 rests on a spider 107 at anintermediate height in the cup 1195. Liquid rising through tube 56passes into the cup chamber 165a and through perforate spider 107 intoupper cup chamber M1151). Thence the liquid proceeds through aperture108 in the hollow shaft wall, and upwardly to overflow the top of theshaft into compartment A.

As the liquid level rises, the float 104 rises, carrying the shaft andfoot 195 with it. The foot has a resilient seat material on its uppersurface which eventually contacts in sealing relationship an annularbead 109. Rising of the shaft has already brought slot 108 upwardly intothe bore of lug 58b. Escape of liquid from the cup is thereforesubstantially prevented, developing the back pressure downwardly throughtube 56 as heretofore noted. A weep hole 110 through foot 166 permits aminor amount of pressure bleeding so that the main valve can besubsequently opened without excessive eifort.

Briefly returning to FIG. 4 it may be noted that packing members 111 ofthe O ring type are used to seal the piston valve 66 externally andinternally, and also the connection of the head 79 to housing 25.

FIG. 6 illustrates a somewhat modified embodiment of the invention inwhich a piston valve is substituted for the diaphragm S7 of FIGS. 3 and4. Reference character 114 inticates the top of the main valvecorresponding to member 25 in FIGS. 3 and 4. A bonnet 115 has a screwthreaded connection with body 114, and has a hollow cylindrical interiorprovided with exhaust ports 116. A piston valve 117 is maintained on itsseat 113 by spring 119. The spring is retained by cap 120. Liquid underpressure arises in central bore 84 and lifts the piston 117 against thebias of the spring. The piston is perforated by a central duct 121 whichallows liquid under pressure to enter chamber 122 and thence throughpipe 123 to a secondary float valve (not shown).

Flow also proceeds through a scoop duct 124 into a chamber 125 which hasa pipe outlet (not shown) to a primary float valve also not shown butsimilar to the one already described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Operation is as follows. When the liquid level closes the primary floatvalve the back pressure. in chamber closes the main valve, flowthereafter proceeding only through ports 116 and duct 121, chamber 122and pipe 123. When the rising liquid closes the secondary float valvethe back pressure in chamber 122, in conjunction with spring 119, seatspiston 117 and cuts off all loading flow.

In the embodiments described the loading flow through all channels cantake place, for example, at over 1000 gallons per minute, but afterclosure of the main valve and its auxiliary channel the flow through thesecondary inlets can be reduced to about 50 gallons per minute whichmakes for accuracy in loading.

What I claim is:

1. Liquid flow control means for an inlet port in a tank wall, saidmeans comprising a cylindrical valve housing within said tank and havingan inlet opening in its lower end in registry with said port, a mainvalve within said housing and spring biased towards closed position insaid port, said housing having first, second, third and fourth outletmeans through the wall of said housing, said main valve having an axialopening therein and a tube defining a passage extending from said axialopening and inwardly axially through said housing to establish anannular pressure chamber between said tube and said housing, said mainvalve being movable into said pressure chamber by liquid-enteringpressure against the aforesaid spring bias, said main valve, when somoved inwardly, clearing said first outlet to permit liquid to entersaid tank through said first outlet, liquid flow obstructing meansextending across the inner end of said passage and defining therebehinda second pressure chamber within said housing, said flow obstructingmeans being spring biased towards tube-closing position but adapted tobe moved to tubeopening position by liquid entering pressure and, whenso moved to clear a path between said tube and said sec ond outlet, afirst pipe in communication with said first pressure chamber and havinga discharge end at an elevated level in said tank whereby to vent saidfirst chamher, a second pipe in communication with said second pressurechamber and having a discharge end also at an elevated level in saidtank whereby to vent said second pressure chamber, a first duct fromsaid passage to said first chamber whereby to permit liquid to flow intosaid first chamber and thence through said pipe when unobstructed, asecond duct from said passage to said second chamber whereby to permitliquid to flow into said second chamber and thence through said secondpipe, when unobstructed, liquid level responsive means for closing saidfirst pipe to thereby create a back pressure therein and in said firstpressure chamber and to close said main valve, and liquid levelresponsive means for closing said second pipe to thereby create a backpressure therein and in said second pressure chamber and to close saidflow obstructing means.

'2. Liquid flow control means as defined in claim 1 wherein said flowobstructing means consists of a flexible diaphragm spring biased toclose the inner end of said passage.

3. Liquid flow control means as defined in claim 1 wherein each saidliquid level responsive means consists of a float having a portionoperatively contactable with the end of its respective pipe to close thesame responsive to liquid rise to a predetermined level.

4. Liquid flow control means as defined in claim 1 wherein said mainvalve has a piston portion upwardly extending into said annular pressurechamber, and carrying pressure sealing means in contact with therespective concentric walls of said pressure chamber.

5. Liquid flow control means as defined in claim wherein the upper endsof said pipes are at respectively different levels.

6. Liquid flow control means as defined in claim 5 wherein the upper endof the first pipe in flow communication with said first pressure chamberis at a lowerlevel References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Shipley Jan. 29, 1924 8 Davies Nov. 7, 1950 De Frees June17, 1952 Sweeney Nov. 25, 1952 Rittenhouse May 18, 1954 Fraser Sept. 11,1956 Oliveau et a1. Aug. 26, 1958 Tye May 5, 1959

